Spring-equalizer.



I. H. WARNER. w SPRING-EQUALIZER.

APPLIOATJON FILED NOV. 29, 1907.

Patented-June 15, 1909.

FRANK WARNER, OF ASHTABULA, OHIO.

SPRING-E QUALIZER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 1909 Application filed November 29, 1907. Serial No. 404,253.

To all whom it may concern.

whereby are supported the engines and Be it known that I, FRANK H. WARNER, a other heavy parts of the driving mechanism,

citizen of the United States, resident of Ashtabula, countyof Ashtabula, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Spring-Equalizers, of which ,the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained andthe best mode inwhich I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

This invention relates to improvementsin springs such as are employed about vehicles to support the body of the vehicle u )o'n the running gear, or axles, in other words.

Such invention is applicable to all types of vehicles in gene'nl, but will find, perhaps, its greater field of usefulness in automobiles, to the perfection. of the springs of which, as is well known, considerable attention has been given of late in order to produce an easy riding effect in spite of the relatively heavy load required to be carried.

The object of the present invention is to secure such easier riding effect, and at the same time sustain the load without risking the int egrity of individual springs, by equalizing the burden imposed upon the latter no matter which one is exposed to the initial shock.

To the accomplishment of the above and related ,ends said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim.

The annexed drawing and the following d scription set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

in said annexed drawing: l igurc is a. side elevation of a portion of a vehicle frame, e. an automobile chassis, in which has been embodied one form of my improved spring construction; and Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating a modiiied form of the invention.

llaving regard then to the several'figures of the drawing just described, A will be seen' to deslgnate the s1dc member of the vehicle I frame, here assumed to be an automobile for the purposes of illustration. Such side mem ber accordingly terminates at its ends in recurved horns a (1., as they arev technically known. The frame, thus composed, is the basis upon which the body is mounted and frame is in turn'suppor-ted upon the running gear, of which only the axles B, B are shown, by means of a suitable system of springs.

' none of which, however, are shown. Such As has been indicated itis with the latter alone that we are here concerned.

A In the first form. of the invention illus trated in Fig. 1, such spring system com prises essentially two spring members 0C,

respectively borne on the front and rear axles of the running gear and a spring equal- 1zer C intermediate between said springs C C. The latter are of course longltud nally alined and being semi-elliptic in form and having their outer ends respectively connected with the downturned ends of horns a a. Their inner ends are simllarly connected with the respective ends of the spring e ualizer C .Spring equalizer C in-- stead of eing rigidly secured or attachedto the frame'A of the vehicle body is pivotally attached thereto in the manner clearly shown in the figure of reference, thus become ing an equalizer in function and operation, as well as 111 name, as will be presently more clearly explained.

in the second form of the invention, illustrated i'n'Fig. 2, the adaptation there shown inner ends of the main springs C C, and hav- 7 ing their inner ends in turn" connected by a suitable rigid equalizer bar C, that is likewise pivotally attached to the frame A.

From the foregoing illustrations of my invention it will be seen that by the introduction of an. intermediate. spring pivotally attached t9 the frame of the vehicle, a very deslrable result 18 obtained for such intermediate spring acts not only as a spring itself but serves to convey the vibrationsreceived from the first spring to the other spring, or springs, thus truly equalizing the burden imosed upon the first one. It is well known that the half e liptic spring has little range up and down so that when a wheel meets an obstruction or depression the limit of,flexibihtv or compression of the sprin is quickly reached, and a jolt, or else a bro en spring,

must inevitably result. By the present eeviee when such ashock is met it is transferred to all the other springs through the pivotallyattached spring equalizer Ctof Fig. 1, or the equivalent arrangement of Fig. 2. I aware-that an invertedsemi-elliptic, spring rigidly attached to, the body has been inter-1 posed between two semi-elliptic springs car-i same time the shock delivered. to any one sprin is absorbed by all on that side.

vious y, if desired-by the interposition of similar. spring equalizershetween the springs along the respective sides of the vehicle,suoh

equalization could be effected throughout the entire system of springs Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the 'one explained, change being made as re',

gards themecha'nismherein disclosed, provided. the means stated by the followingclaim or the equivalent of such stated means beeinployed I thereforeparticularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention In. a vehicle, the combination of two ion gitiidinally alined upwardly disposed. semielliptic springs borne by the front and rear i down axles respectively of the vehicle wardly disposed semi-elliptic spring pivotally attached to the vehicle body intermediate between said first named springs and alined therewith; connections between the outer ends oi'said first named springs and the vehicle body; and other connections between the inner ends of said "first named springs and the respective ends of said intermediate pivotally attached spring.

Signed by me, this :23 day of N ovemner,

i v FRANK H. l VAR'NER.

Attested byi J. M. SEYMOUR,

NEflTIE Bnon'rEL. 

